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US - NOAA Fisheries Service reminds commercial and recreational fishers that from October 1 through December 31, each year, no person may fish for or possess vermilion, black, blackfin, or silk snapper in or from the US Caribbean exclusive economic zone.

The seasonal prohibition on commercial and recreational fishing for blackfin, vermilion, black, and silk snapper begins at 12:01 a.m., local time, on October 1 and extends through December 31, each year, in US Caribbean exclusive economic zone.

The US Caribbean exclusive economic zone consists of those waters extending from the nine nautical mile seaward boundary of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the three nautical mile seaward boundary of the territory of the US Virgin Islands out to 200 nautical miles offshore.

This action complies with regulations implemented under Amendment 3 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Fishery of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to address required provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and is necessary to protect these resources. The Caribbean Fishery Management Council, in cooperation with NOAA Fisheries Service, developed the amendment to regulate fishing mortality.